Computer Problem

[drlovegun]

I recently switched locations within my company. When I was leaving the old office, I created a CD with personal/work files on it to bring to the new location. I created the CD on a Vista OS computer and now when I try and open it on an XP OS computer, it's showing the disc as blank which is not the case. First, I triple checked the cd when I created it to make sure the files saved correctly, even trying to open it on another computer at that location (Vista) which worked fine. Second, you can tell by looking at the back of the CD that there is information written on it. Any ideas on how to get this to open? Do I need to download some Vista/XP conversion program or something?

[BAD SNAKE]

VISTA??????? :blink: :blink: :blink: :blink:

 

I know there's somebody on this site that can help.

[stump_breaker]

I recently switched locations within my company. When I was leaving the old office, I created a CD with personal/work files on it to bring to the new location. I created the CD on a Vista OS computer and now when I try and open it on an XP OS computer, it's showing the disc as blank which is not the case. First, I triple checked the cd when I created it to make sure the files saved correctly, even trying to open it on another computer at that location (Vista) which worked fine. Second, you can tell by looking at the back of the CD that there is information written on it. Any ideas on how to get this to open? Do I need to download some Vista/XP conversion program or something?

Did you use the built in burning system on Vista or some other program? What file extensions did you use? I have never had a problem with burning in Vista and then reading on older versions in Windows. It could be your old company had a protection program that encrypted the cd so it can not be opened on any other system.

 

Of course I like Vista so I may just be an oddball anyway!

[drlovegun]

It's just a bunch of Word, Excel, PDf's and Jpegs. I used the built in Vista software. Right click file, send to disc etc.

THe company isn't too high tech so the Vista computer I used to copy isn't on a network, and the machine wasn't write protected. However on the computer I'm trying to open the cd on now, i'm not set up as an admisitrator, just a user.

[tekheavy]

I don't burn files to cd's anymore. I use ubs flash drives for everything. Its so much easier. You just plug it and its recognized as an additional drive. And you just copy and paste any files you want right into the drive and then transfer it to the new computer in the same manner. If your old computer is still accessable, I'd suggest going this route. You can get a 4 gig drive really cheap now. The only thing I burn to CD is music files to use in my cars CD player.

[old guy]

Can you read the CD on another Windows machine? If so, I'd upload the files (with an FTP client - Filezilla is free and easy to use) to a file server and then download them onto your new machine. Of course you'd have to load the client on both machines.

 

Your IT dept or a local computer geek can help you get it done fairly quickly.

[stump_breaker]

It's just a bunch of Word, Excel, PDf's and Jpegs. I used the built in Vista software. Right click file, send to disc etc.

THe company isn't too high tech so the Vista computer I used to copy isn't on a network, and the machine wasn't write protected. However on the computer I'm trying to open the cd on now, i'm not set up as an admisitrator, just a user.

That could be the problem depending on the rights assigned to the user per the administrator. They had us locked out for a bit here at work and we could not open CD's or anything else for that matter. A lot of kicking and screaming fixed that problem.

 

It could also be the type of CD. Did you use a CD-/+R or +/- RW? If +/- RW the computer may not be able to read it. Also if an older drive and you used a +R or +RW that could be the problem since -R used to be the default setting. I would do as suggested and try another computer. I would also nix the CD's in the future and use a jump drive or an online dump or just email yourself, assuming what you took what not proprietary. Given the fact you have XP on your new system the CD type is probably a moot issue unless the computer is a patchwork system, bits an pieces upgraded/updated through-out the years.

 

We are extremely limited on our computer usage here at work (how I get on TeamShelby I have no idea) so I tend to stick with the tried-and-true Rolodex.

[ingram4868]

If the files were crated on Vista then your current XP will know nothing about Vista. If it were the other way around Vista can read XP files. I have never used Vista but I hope it gives options on which format to save files. If so then you could find a Vista operating system, copy your CD into that and then save them as an earlier version (pre Vista) that XP will recognize.

[tekheavy]

If the files were crated on Vista then your current XP will know nothing about Vista. If it were the other way around Vista can read XP files. I have never used Vista but I hope it gives options on which format to save files. If so then you could find a Vista operating system, copy your CD into that and then save them as an earlier version (pre Vista) that XP will recognize.

 

Shouldn't matter if its got XP or Vista on the computer. Since they're only Word, Excel, PDf's and Jpeg files, what matters is if the new computer has the same or newer version of Microsoft Office, Acrobat Reader, etc.